Rising Dudhkumar River levels flood Kurigram lowlands as officials brace for monsoon surge
Photo Collected
Heavy rainfall and surging water levels from upstream have inundated low-lying areas across Kurigram, leaving more than 100 families stranded. The Dudhkumar River has breached its banks, with water levels at the Pateshwari point recorded at 23 centimeters above the danger mark as of Monday morning.
According to data from the Kurigram Water Development Board (BWDB), the rapid rise in the Dudhkumar has flooded expansive low-lying regions in Bhurungamari’s Paikdanga, Chhit Paikerchhara, and Char Baldiya, as well as the Char Bishnupur, Balabari, Char Luchni, and Phandarer Char areas of Nageshwari upazila. The flooding has submerged standing crops and cut off access routes for local residents, leaving families trapped in their homes.
Residents in the affected areas have expressed growing concern over the rapid inundation of farmland and the impending scarcity of fodder for livestock. While the Dudhkumar remains the primary concern, other major rivers in the district are also seeing rising water levels. Data at 9:00 a.m. Monday indicated that the Dharla River is currently 60 centimeters below its danger mark at the Kurigram point, while the Brahmaputra is 93 centimeters below at Nunkhawa and 73 centimeters below at Chilmari. The Teesta River remains 6 centimeters below the danger threshold at the Kaunia point.
Rakibul Hasan, executive engineer of the Kurigram BWDB, confirmed that the influx of upstream water and persistent rain has caused water levels to rise across the entire river network. While the Dudhkumar is currently the only river surpassing the danger limit, authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
District Commissioner Annapurna Debnath stated that the administration has prepared emergency assistance, including 200,000 taka in cash and 1,100 packets of dry rations, for the affected communities. Additionally, 1,000 geo-bags have been stockpiled for each upazila to combat potential riverbank erosion. Acknowledging the scale of the crisis, the District Commissioner noted that the administration has allocated all currently available resources to mitigate the immediate impact on the nine affected upazilas. No major casualties or structural damage have been reported thus far.
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